Sjef Janssen will remain the Dutch Dressage team trainer until the 2012 Olympic Games in London. His contract, which was up for renewal in 2009, has been extended by the Dutch Equestrian Federation (KNHS) for four more years. The news was announced today at the CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch.
The 59-year old Sjef Janssen coached the Dutch team to a team gold medal at the 2007 European Championships and individual gold and team silver at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong.
Janssen has been team trainer for the past four years, though he resigned once to enforce structural changes with the Dutch High Performance Dressage Committee and the Dutch Equestrian Federation. By appointing, for instance, Mariette Sanders as chef d'equipe, Janssen agreed to come back as team trainer.
"I see much perspective for the sport in our country," Sjef Janssen said at the press conference. "Also, I want to keep having time for my family."
"Sjef will have more responsabilities because he'll be involved with the total technical management from youth riders to seniors," said Maarten van der Heijden, the KNHS sport director. "Management will be organised by less people and no more external persons. We'll operate from our headquarters in Ermelo."
Related Links
Coverage of the 2009 CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch
Sjef Janssen Resigns as Dutch Chef d'Equipe
Sjef Janssen, New Dutch Grand Prix Team Trainer